“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance
Parallel translations
- WEB “When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
- KJV And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
- BSB Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
- NASB “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,
- NLT “After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Returning to Jerusalem, Paul falls into a trance while praying in the temple. Even in the temple of the old covenant, the risen Christ meets and directs him.
Overview
Paul recounts a vision not described in Acts 9, showing how God guided his early ministry. That this revelation came in the temple would resonate with his Jewish hearers, affirming Paul's reverence for the place. God sovereignly redirects Paul's mission through prayer, underscoring that the spread of the gospel is divinely orchestrated.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Cor 12:1–4It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
- Acts 10:9–10Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.
- Acts 26:20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
- Acts 9:26–28When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
- Rev 1:10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
- Gal 1:18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 22:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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